Forum Summary: Allocation in Fishery Management

Summary of the Fall 2010 Fisheries Forum on Allocation in Fishery Management held in Monterey, California.

Author(s): Fisheries Leadership and Sustainability Forum

Published: September 2010

download: memo (.pdf) >

The Fisheries Forum, which hosted its fifth successful Forum in Monterey, California September 19-22, 2010, welcomed a mix of new and returning participants, including appointed council members, state and federal representatives and their designees, and nonvoting members. Nineteen council members representing seven of the eight regional fishery management councils attended the Forum, and contributed their diverse perspectives and insight into current fishery management challenges.

This Forum convened council members, scientists, economists, community leaders and managers to discuss the challenge of allocating federal fishery resources. Allocation is a priority topic across regions, as councils take action to implement annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) in accordance with the 2006 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Councils are viewing allocation as an important tool in ensuring greater accountability and maintaining opportunities for user groups. The foundation of many management decisions, allocation decisions require challenging and often difficult discussions, making this topic well suited to the neutral atmosphere of a forum.